Su Bai didn't pay any more attention to the matters concerning the Outer Sea Secret Realm.
Now that Xu Changge was back, her pressure was significantly reduced.
Instead of returning to her own Xu Family, Xu Changge stayed directly at Danfu Pavilion.
Every day, she would lie on a reclining chair, like a salted fish.
At this moment, Xu Changge was lying on the reclining chair, reaching for the fruit on the small table beside her, her clothes slipping from her shoulders, revealing her beautiful collarbone.
Su Bai sat beside her, engrossed in a book.
Xu Changge looked at Su Bai and cooed:
"Lu Hong, help your elder sister get some fruit, ah~"
With that, she opened her mouth, waiting for Su Bai to feed her.
Su Bai didn't even look up at Xu Changge; as she turned a page, her hand moved, using spiritual energy to grab a grape from the fruit plate and toss it into Xu Changge's mouth.
"Seriously!"
The grape was in her mouth, and Su Bai had fed it to her, but it was completely different from the scene Xu Changge had imagined.
Su Bai heard Xu Changge's complaint, finally lifted her head from the book, and said in a cool tone:
"If you're truly idle, why not teach me third-tier Formations?"
"Recently, I've been working on a third-tier flying Magic Treasure; the overall structure is complete, but there are some imperfections, and I happen to need a skilled Formation Master to help."
Xu Changge was still reaching for grapes; hearing Su Bai's words, she tilted her head slightly.
"Flying Magic Treasure? You even made that? Then Xiao Bai, your Artifact Refining skills have improved again, but your elder sister just returned and is very tired, so let your elder sister rest for a few more days, mm-hmm~"
As she spoke, Xu Changge deliberately placed her slender fingers on her collarbone, sliding from her chest to her shoulder, lifted a long leg, her rounded toes curling in the air, her beautiful nails glistening under the sun, and at the same time, she cast a flirtatious glance at Su Bai.
Clap!
Su Bai closed her book.
She stood up and walked out.
As she passed Xu Changge, she said:
"Then you rest; I'm going shopping with Lu Hong."
..."Alas! Wait for your elder sister, your elder sister will help you!"
Upon hearing that Su Bai was going shopping with Lu Hong and had no intention of staying, Xu Changge no longer lay down.
She quickly grabbed her white silk stockings to put them on, one hand still holding onto Su Bai, who was about to leave.
After Xu Changge hurriedly put on her shoes, she calmly tidied her clothes, which had become a bit messy from lying down, and elegantly said:
"Xiao Bai, let's go."
Su Bai was somewhat speechless with this woman; she had never seen anyone change faces so quickly.
Just a moment ago, she looked as if she was on her deathbed and couldn't take care of herself, but now she had an elegant and dignified demeanor, like a fairy.
The two left from the backyard.
They found Lu Hong sitting behind the counter, and when Su Bai asked Lu Hong if she wanted to go shopping together.
Lu Hong was happy at first, then subconsciously looked at Xu Changge, who was standing beside Su Bai.
Only after seeing that Xu Changge merely had a faint smile and showed no other expression did she nod in agreement.
The three women walked out of Danfu Pavilion with outwardly cheerful expressions.
When Su Bai went shopping, it was naturally not for aimless wandering; she needed to buy Materials.
Now that Xu Changge had returned, with Xu Changge's superior Formation attainments, the ebony boat could be further optimized.
Su Bai needed to buy iron ore, copper ore, and other Materials to take back and refine, to improve the ebony boat.
Moreover, with Xu Changge helping to optimize the ebony boat, Su Bai could also do other things, such as making a third-tier Puppet.
Most of the Puppet Materials Su Bai had were second-tier Materials, such as the bones of second-tier Yao Beasts and second-tier spiritual wood.
These were fine as auxiliary Materials for a third-tier Puppet, but impossible to use for making a third-tier Puppet itself.
So Su Bai's purpose for coming out this time was to go to Thousand Machine Pavilion to buy Materials.
Upon arriving at Thousand Machine Pavilion, Su Bai looked at Xu Changge and Lu Hong, who were standing on either side of her, and asked:
"I'm going to buy some Materials for making Puppets later; are you coming with me, or will you just look around here and wait for me?"
Just as Lu Hong was about to say she would follow, Xu Changge directly grabbed Lu Hong's hand and, with a chuckle, said to Su Bai:
"Xiao Bai, go buy your Materials from the Shopkeeper; Lu Hong and I will just look around here."
Lu Hong opened her mouth, then finally nodded and hummed in agreement.
Seeing this, Su Bai just shook her head and went to the Shopkeeper of Thousand Machine Pavilion to select Materials.
After all, these were Materials for a third-tier Puppet and wouldn't be displayed openly; if Su Bai wanted them, she would definitely have to negotiate thoroughly with the Shopkeeper.
After Su Bai left.
Lu Hong tried to pull her hand free from Xu Changge's grip.
But Xu Changge held her wrist tightly, not letting go.
Lu Hong looked at Xu Changge with some surprise.
"Aunt Xu?"
She generally had a neutral impression of this elder.
When she was young, Lu Hong was often brought by her mother, Shen Fang, to visit the Xu Family, the Yang Family, and Su Bai's place to familiarize herself, also to encourage more interaction between the next generation and stabilize the Alliance between the families.
It was just that later, Lu Hong came to the newly established Xingluo Market, and not long after, she followed Su Bai.
Those visits became less frequent.
Because of Su Bai, she only saw Xu Changge frequently.
However, as she grew older, Lu Hong became very wary of Xu Changge's every appearance.
Lu Hong knew she had special feelings for Su Bai.
To Lu Hong, Su Bai's calm, composed, and diligent Cultivation greatly attracted her, and Su Bai had taken good care of Lu Hong since she was a child.
This made Lu Hong very dependent on and attached to Su Bai.
And Lu Hong also knew that she wasn't the only one who had feelings for Su Bai; Xu Changge did too.
Lu Hong first glanced at the slender, jade-like fingers holding her wrist, then followed her gaze up to Xu Changge's smiling face.
What was this about? Was she going to confront her?
Lu Hong muttered to herself, 'Well, a confrontation is fine.'
'Today, I, Lu Hong, am no easy target either!'
Just as Lu Hong was thinking this, Xu Changge pointed to a nearby seat.
"Let's sit over there and talk."
"Okay, Aunt Xu."
After the two sat down, Xu Changge let out a long sigh.
"Oh, that timid little girl from before has grown so lovely now. Fellow Daoist Shen and Fellow Daoist Lu really know how to give birth!"
"I went to a dangerous place before because of Sect matters; do you know about this?"
After a moment of emotion, Xu Changge asked Lu Hong.
Lu Hong naturally knew; Su Bai was still modifying the ebony boat, and she hadn't stopped inquiring about news from Heavenly Fortune City.
"I know. Aunt Su told me about it and even prepared a lot of things for it."
Lu Hong truthfully replied.
Hearing what Lu Hong said, Xu Changge nodded.
There was no hint of the tension Lu Hong had initially expected between them.
Instead, it was like casual conversation.
Through Lu Hong, Xu Changge gradually understood what Su Bai had done while she was stationed at the Formation in the Outer Sea Secret Realm.
"So that's how it is."
"Xiao Bai did so much for me..."
However, Lu Hong only knew part of the story; for instance, she didn't know the reason for Xu Changge's return this time.
Xu Changge also thought she was able to return because of a change in strategy by the Six Sects.
But that didn't hinder their conversation.
Later in their chat, Xu Changge asked Lu Hong this question:
"Lu Hong, you'll follow your Aunt Su, won't you?"
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